The most meaningful experience I had on this trip happened at the Celilo Village longhouse, a sacred gathering area for four of the native tribes in the Columbia River Gorge. There, we met with the Chief of Celilo Village, also the leader of the Yakama tribe, Bobby Begay and his family. They all greeted us from a distance, or bumped  elbows instead of the typical handshake. Bobby explained how their history, culture, and faith were being threatened by COVID-19. If one person from the tribe became sick and spread the virus, it could wipe out their people, along with the entirety of their oral tradition. Without people to pass on their stories, culture, and way of life, their legacy dies with them. 

 

The night went on as Chief and his family shared their history, their salmon, and their dreams for the future with us in the hopes we would use that information to make change for the next generation. As they shared their food, it reminded me of my family's Korean traditions and the way we come together over a meal. I walked out of the longhouse reflecting on our time spent with Bobby and his drive to educate others about the Yakama people and his passion for tribal advocacy of the environment. His words inspired me to make a deeper commitment to environmental justice, not only for its intrinsic value, but the people that rely on a healthy environment for so much more than a pretty view.  

 

A week after the end of my Environmental Justice Immersion, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and everything changed in a matter of 48 hours. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and a month after the beginning of quarantine, life took another unexpected turn. I received an email from my program coordinator with news that Bobby Begay tragically passed away on April 26th after complications of the Corona virus. I was heartbroken for Bobby's family, his tribe, and all the people his life touched, including my own. 

 

One of my biggest takeaways from the immersion and the events that followed is that environmental justice is every person's responsibility because it affects all people. Climate change often affects the most vulnerable populations, closely intertwining it with other social justice problems, like racial and housing inequality. In order to care for people, we also need to care for our home. I believe it is our job as artists, designers, and most of all storytellers to amplify the voices of those who often go silenced in our society. It is their stories that need telling the most to bring awareness to the experiences of our fellow human being, and to make impactful, lasting change for those who need it most. Bobby was an activist for the fish, the rivers, and the land that his people needed to survive. Telling Bobby's story immortalizes him outside oral tradition and brings awareness to the Yakama tribe's fight for a healthy environment. In telling his story alongside so many others who have not been given a voice, I commit my life to people; and I will use my strengths, privilege, and education for the benefit of others. 

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Learn more about Bobby and his story HERE. 

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